860-229-7323
20 High Street
New Britain, CT 06051

The Need

Literacy Volunteers of Central Connecticut
Statistics Sheet

The need is great. In New Britain:

The latest estimate available is that close to 16,000 adults, or 26% of the population age 16 and older, are at the lowest literacy level. Many can sign their own names or pick out key facts in a brief news article, but are unable to fill in background information on a job application or read information on medicine or food container labels.

Almost 14,000 adults in New Britain do not have a high school diploma. More than 5,000 of these have completed less than 9th grade.

More than 29,000 adults in New Britain speak a language other than English at home (a 40% increase in the last ten years). Of them, 13,600 do not speak English well.

In Bristol:

The latest estimate available is that 6,800 adults, or 14% of the adult population, are at the lowest literacy level.

Almost 3,000 adults age 25 and older have completed less than a ninth grade education. .

Approximately 3,100 adults in Bristol do not speak English well.

Our part in responding to this need:

In our last fiscal year we served 395 students through 171 trained volunteers.

We currently have 21 Basic Literacy and 124 ESOL students on a waiting list.

We offer tutor-training workshops throughout the year.

After they have successfully completed our training, tutors are matched with between one and four students. They meet with their students for a minimum of two hours a week.

Our students show tremendous progress in goal achievement, as measured both by standardized tests and qualitative assessment of achievements toward goals. Goals include but are not limited to obtaining a job, reading a book for the first time, communicating with doctors and children’s teachers, becoming a citizen, and reading food or medicine labels.

Thanks to some of our donors.

American Savings Foundation
Charter Oak Foundation
Community Chest of New Britain and Berlin
Community Foundation of Greater New Britain
Fund for Greater Hartford
People's United Community Foundation
State of CT department of Adult Education
United Way of Central and Northeastern CT